Each month I'll post three cool new Web sites I hope you can use, for yourself or for our patrons. Feel free to send comments and feedback! Using a blog instead of email, you won't have to worry about saving all the old emails and then trying to remember when you read about that one really cool site that you could sure use now!

Wednesday, December 6, 2006

November 2005 Sites

The Cedar Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce(Not to be confused with the City of Cedar Rapids site)The Chamber's site is the place to go for community information: mainsections at the site include Events, Doing Business, and Live-Work-Play.IMPORTANT NOTE: The Chamber will no longer publish their annual Business &Professional Directory; it will ONLY be available from their Web site,where you can always get the most current information on local businesses.The online directory is updated nearly every day.

OnGuard Online from the DMA (Direct Marketing Association) and the FTC (USFederal Trade Commission)This consumer brochure lists seven practices for safer computing on theWeb, including tips for protecting personal information, knowing who youare dealing with, using anti-virus software and a firewall, setting up anoperating system and Web browser, protecting passwords, backing upimportant files, and learning whom to contact if something goes wrong.There's lots of excellent information here; please pass it along to ourpatrons when you have an opportunity to do so.

Okay, here's a treat more for you all than for our patrons, a neatliterary treasure I just learned about from a friend. For those of you whohave heard of (or who subscribe to) Netflix, this is like Netflix onlywith books! Check out BooksFree.com for the largest online library ofpaperback and audiobooks delivered to your door! BooksFree.com has over63,000 titles from which to choose (6800 CD Audiobooks, 1600 MP3-CDAudiobooks) in all genres. You pay a monthly subscription fee (there areseveral levels available) and select as many books as you like -- freeshipping and postage (both ways), no late fees. If you decide you want tokeep a book you have rented, you can even buy it at a discounted price.The company has been in business since 2000. I think this is pretty cool.Visit BooksFree.com and sign up today!